Поучение в день Вознесения Господа нашего Иисуса Христа. Иэ древнего сборника (XVII в.) – «Сатир»

Beloved children of the blessed Zion and citizens of heavenly Jerusalem! Let us follow Christ to the Mount of Olives, to the holy and exceedingly high mountain of God-like thinking, let us lift our minds from creeping thoughts, and we will see all the glorious things given by Christ God. All creation rejoices and rejoices at the glorious ascension of its Creator, as by His grace everything is filled, organized and adorned. My wretched mental eyes are closing, I am afraid to delve into the depths of the mysteries of the vision of God the Flesh-Bearer, I do not have enough reason to praise this glorious and bright feast of the Ascension of Christ. However, my sinful soul rejoices greatly: for I see all creation flaunting and having fun, from here I know the Creator and Provider. I ask and pray to Him who ascended today in glory, that He may send me from the incomprehensible treasure of His grace, and that I too may talk about the wise deeds of my Lord - not from my own bad and rotten words, but from His grace and from the Holy Scriptures. You, Christ-loving listeners, do not complain about my long talk. Today the earth and all who live on it rejoice, the hills play, and the mountains show off with joy. Now the red spring has risen, because the south often blows, the sun shines with bright warmth, fruitful rains pour out, the bowels of the earth soften, and the farmer sets up his hare, looking at the grief, calls on the Fruit-Giver, yokes the ox to the yoke, sweetly cuts the reins, and rejoices in his hope. Now the rivers are equal to the banks, now the green hills bear fruit, the grass is fragrant and the earth bears grain. Now the trees are putting out leaves and sprouting beautiful summer branches, nightingales at the springs sing merry songs, consoling the farmer. Now the cattle are growing fat and resting in the green meadows. Now the sea is peacefully agitated, the ships safely depart from their refuge with songs and organs, and happily reach their refuge harmlessly. Nowadays, fishermen look into the depths, arrange deep waters, and carry out fishing. Nowadays, a hardworking bee flies from the hive and shows the wisdom of her art, flies to the meadows and steals flowers, arranges honeycombs, puts honey in the vagina and, thus wandering, makes sweet fruit. But all this is adorned and brightened by the ascension of the Lord, and with all this God is so glorified, and through this we are known. These images served to arrange our salvation. And you need to understand this, brothers, if you want to listen. Red spring is the faith of Christ, which through baptism gives birth to human nature into the sonship of God. The blowing south means that through repentance sins cease and virtue bears fruit. The rains pour out: it is the Apostolic hearts that are filled with the Holy Spirit, and the word of teaching spreads throughout the entire universe. The one who plows yokes the ox: it is the pagans who flock to the faith of Christ and plant His cross in their hearts; and the Apostles rejoice in the hope of their radiance: since the reward for their labor is prepared for them more than anyone else. The rivers of their teaching are equal to the banks, and they, spreading the verbal mass - the Gospel preaching throughout the entire universe, gathered the full Church from all nations. Lambs and oxen grow fat: these are the faithful, chosen children who feed on the milk of spiritual grace from the Mother of the Church. The sea is peacefully agitated: pagan idolatry has been destroyed, and the ship - the Church, our mother, comfortably nourished by the power of Christ, serenely contains the laws throughout the entire universe. The trees vegetate, the gardens turn green, the nightingales sing; this means that previously barren pagan countries now bring their souls to Christ as fruit, and everywhere now wise teachers clearly preach and joyfully glorify the power of the Divinity of Christ. The wise bee shows wisdom: that is, church teachers, working day and night in reading the Divine scriptures and meditations, collect numerous flowers, like a hardworking bee, flying around with the mind, make up sweetness God-inspired Scripture and proclaim it in the ears of men, for the enlightenment of their souls, and for the consolation of their hearts, giving them eternal and luminous salvation, freeing them from the power of Satan, from the darkness of sin. Therefore, every face of the righteous rejoices and is glad, accepting the reward of their labor: the patriarchs and prophets rejoice, enjoying in paradise, the holy Apostles, glorified by their labors both in heaven and on earth, rejoice, the holy martyrs and confessors who endured the passion for Christ and were married to the angels rejoice, virgins, fasters, hermits in the heavenly world rejoice city, heavenly Jerusalem, with the angels and archangels and with all the saints, they worship and, glorifying, unceasingly sing the holy hymn to the Trinitarian Deity: holy, holy, holy Lord, fill heaven and earth with Your glory. My poor and sinful soul, thinking about all this, rejoices, the wise structure of the Creator is in vain. Therefore, I, unworthy, the smallest creature, dare to open my vile lips and cry: “My Creator, Christ and King! The abyss of Your grace is incomprehensible. My God! Wonderful and untested are Your destinies. For You have so magnified our mortal nature - dust and ashes, and exalted us to such glory and honor, and seated us at the right hand of God and Your Father, above all heavenly ranks of angels and archangels, thrones and dominions, cherubim and seraphim. The superworldly Powers themselves are greatly amazed, giving You, Christ, Who became man, worship, honor and glory, bringing praise with silent lips, unceasing praises in one power and kingdom with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Grant this kingdom to us also, O Christ the King and our God.” Amen 229. In short. The first part of the teaching on the Ascension of the Lord, containing the history of the holiday event, is omitted here. See “Russian preacher of the seventeenth century and several articles from his work: “Statir”. Edition prot. I. Yakhontova. 1883, countries. 192–195; compare "Spiritual Conversation". 1858, vol. IV; countries 153–157. You might be interested in: